Leading in Hardware: Aleph Objects Named #122 in Inc. 500

Within an industry that saw some turbulence for the movers and shakers of 3D printing in the last couple of years, many of the smaller companies—as tight and compact in their business models and dealings as the quality 3D printers they manufacture—have turned out to be the true role models for success.

Aleph Objects, Inc., headquartered in the unlikely geography of Loveland, CO—an hour north of Denver—is a software and hardware manufacturer we’ve covered many times in the 3D printing space. Their LulzBot 3D printers are predominantly featured as favorites worldwide, from our own 3D Printer Buying Guide to the 3D Hubs Quarterly Worldwide Trends Reports to a very well thought out report recently from Aniwaa on the best 3D printers. Whether it’s Aleph Objects, Inc. (the parent company) or LulzBot, the two names come up continually. And of course, the refreshing part of all this is that rather than having to comment on a decline or an issue or a scandal, we’re only seeing the popularity of the company and their products moving in an upward momentum.

This was especially apparent in their second quarter earnings for this year, just released a couple of weeks ago. There, we saw not only reported revenue of $5.8 million USD, but a track record now showing four consecutive profitable quarters. Along with that was an 83% improvement in year-over-year revenue compared to second quarter 2015 and, year-to-date 2016, a revenue of $10.5 million. The report also comes of course on the heels of the release of the LulzBot TAZ 6 in May, while there is still a great deal of love flowing for both the LulzBot TAZ 5 and the Mini.

So, while it’s not surprising to hear more good news, Aleph Objects has certainly made a stride this year in being ranked No. 122 on Inc. Magazine’s 35th annual Inc. 5000, landing it in the top tier: the Inc. 500. This signals a major progression for the company, allowing for quite a prestigious ranking in the list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

Taking a look at the Aleph Objects’ stellar financials, Inc. made a point to list the young company’s achievements over the past three years, demonstrating a 2,782 percent three-year sales growth stemming from their LulzBot line, to include 3D printers, parts, and plastics.

Just founded in 2011, Aleph Objects is now leading all privately-held computer hardware companies in the industry, maturing in a fashion that many perhaps did not foresee—and at least not happening so fast. It’s all about business sense and popularity with the user however, and the Aleph Objects team seems to have that in plentiful supply.

As was pointed out during the press release offering up their second quarter earnings, their popularity was apparent not only in sales but also in regards to an internal survey given to LulzBot customers, showing that their polls indicated ‘strong growth’ for both personal and professional use in LulzBot desktop 3D printers, spanning a wide range of applications. The surveys, according to the company, also indicated that 98% would indeed recommend LulzBot products.

Jeff Moe, CEO of Aleph Objects, Inc.

“We are honored to be named among the fastest-growing private companies in the United States and the fastest computer hardware company,” said Aleph Objects, Inc. President and CEO Jeff Moe. “Our company’s success shows the power of Free Software, Libre Innovation, and Open Source Hardware, and we look forward to continuing this growth in the years to come.”

Aleph Objects and their ranking, along with the other leaders of the Inc. 500, is listed in the September issue of Inc. Magazine, which you can purchase at the newsstand on August 23rd. It’s very important to note that while the average company is listed there at what would seem to be an incredible three-year growth of 433 percent, Aleph Objects has far surpassed them at 2,782 percent; not only that, just consider how many 3D printers and other products were sold to achieve those figures.

“The Inc. 5000 list stands out where it really counts,” says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. “It honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great – usually from scratch. That’s one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails.”

If you’d like to find out more about the complete results of the Inc. 5000 now, as well as checking out company profiles and an interactive database, see here for further details.

The methodology for the Inc. 5000 is described as:

“The 2016 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2012 to 2015. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2012. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies— as of December 31, 2015. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2012 is $100,000; the minimum for 2015 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at Inc. 500.“

Discuss further over in the Aleph Objects in Inc. 500 forum at 3DPB.com.